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PFF, Smart all set for national football championship

by
Smart Communications, Inc. | Oct 17, 2012

[17 October, 2012 - Pasig City] After the success of its football championship in 2011, the Philippine Football Federation (PFF) and its official partner Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) formally launched today the 2012-2013 edition of the PFF-Smart National Club Championship.

[17 October, 2012 - Pasig City] After the success of its football championship in 2011, the Philippine Football Federation (PFF) and its official partner Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) formally launched today the 2012-2013 edition of the PFF-Smart National Club Championship.

Having done the rounds in Mindanao and Visayas early this month, local football officials returned to the PFF Pasig headquarters to announce the kick-off of the country’s biggest tournament for PFF member football associations.

More than 30 football associations from all over Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao; and NCR teams participating in the Philippines’ United Football League (UFL) will battle to clinch the 2013 title. The tournament is starting its elimination rounds tomorrow Oct. 17 in La Trinidad, Benguet and Malaybalay, Bukidnon and will culminate in a grand finals match, February next year.

“This year, we will be witnessing intense competition between football associations in our 8 clusters from Luzon, Visayan, Mindanao and Metro Manila ,” said PFF’s competitions department head Cyril Dofitas. “We are thrilled to see our football tournament becoming a truly national competition with the various regions being represented. This signifies progress in local football, not just in the capital, but more especially in the regions.”

Mindanao is hosting the most number of cluster elimination rounds, taking place in Bukidnon, South Cotabato, Davao and Dipolog City. These will be participated in by 16 football associations in the Mindanao region. Luzon cluster eliminations will be held in Benguet and Naga.

The Visayas region with its lone cluster will hold its regional elimination in Dumaguete while Mindanao and Luzon will stage theirs in Davao City and Laguna respectively.

This is the second year that the Philippines’ official football governing body is holding the national football championship with wireless provider and football supporter Smart.

Last year, it was Global FC/Teknika from the NCR cluster, which won the championship.

For this year, Smart is sponsoring all the cluster and regional elimination rounds and the national championship match to be held at the Rizal Memorial Football Stadium.

“This year’s staging of the PFF-Smart National Club Championship is part of Smart’s continuing commitment to the development and promotion of football,” said Epok Quimpo, manager of Smart Sports. “We are now seeing the fruits of PFF and Smart’s joint efforts to advance the sport in the country. This tournament is one of our moves to institutionalize local football leagues.”

In 2010, Smart backed the national football team – the Philippine Azkals – leading to an impressive stint in the 2012 Suzuki Cup and AFC Challenge Cup. The following year, the telco through its chairman Manny V. Pangilinan, pledged P80 million to the PFF to help boost its programs for national football development. [END]

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